A Laxus Tale
by CapAleran2
Summary: [A Knight's Tale AU] Laxus competes in a jousting tournament disguised as a knight, with help from his squires Gray, Bickslow, and Freed. Flirting with love as well as disaster, he struggles to keep his identity a secret in the face of adversity until he can win the tournament and one day lay claim to true knightship. [M for language, mild violence] A Secret Valentine Exchange Fic


**SECRET VALENTINE EXCHANGE - February 14, 2017**

 ** _Written for Sanguine-Fairy_**

 ** _Length: 14, 352_**

 _Characters:_ _Laxus x Lucy /_ _Gajeel x Levy_

 _With: Gray,_ _Bickslow,_ _Freed, and_ _Natsu_

*Now on Ao3

* * *

 **AN:** This fic is **LONG**.

I apologize for the length, but I fully do not apologize for its content. Please read at your convenience, and please, do enjoy ;}

 _Follow Your Dreams - Future World Music_

 _The Courage Within - Future World Music_

 _Hailstone_ \- Epic North

 _Unforgiven - Epic North_

Beted by: Gajeelswoman

* * *

 **A LAXUS TALE**

 _A Knight's Tale AU_

By CapAleran2

Guiding his bay roan gelding through the narrow streets, Laxus looked around at the buildings as he pulled the cloak's hood over his mess of blond hair. Rain began to drizzle in a straight sheet down to the dirt streets. The townspeople scurried home, most avoiding the dips that would eventually hold the rainwater, and wooden wagon wheels abruptly rolled over them. Soon the lanes would be churned to mud.

He sighed, leaning onto the front of his saddle. He was in some town that he'd already forgotten the name of. It seemed the only thing to do in the evening aside from buying a woman's company was the drink and merriment at the local pubs, which were quite full. He had already experienced the nightlife with his three companions since arriving three days prior. The tournament would start in the morning, and Laxus wasn't too keen on entering with a hangover. He'd have to have his wits about him. Otherwise, he could end up losing his life. Or worse. What good was a knight without his horse or his squires?

Rounding the corner, there was a heavy fabric canopy. He found that he would have to duck as the horse continued to walk onward or dismount. Deciding to lean and duck, he simply laid over the bay roan's neck, looping the reins and letting the beast walk along however it chose. Laxus rested his cheek on its neck. He breathed in a lungful of the familiar horse and leather scent, briefly closing his eyes.

The horse slowly came to a halt, lifting its head. The action prompted Laxus to lift his as well.

A cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows. At once, Laxus realized the figure was clothed in a dress. He glanced around, looking for onlookers, but most had gone home or to a pub in the twilight hours. "Oi," he called out.

The figure abruptly stopped, turning slightly, though kept her face hidden. It was hard to see with the dim light; everything was cast in an eerie blue-grey. But he saw the long yellow braid expose itself from within her billowing cloak.

She moved, exposing half of her face. Large brown eyes caught his gaze and held, her body stiff with the initial encounter. Quickly taking in the sight, she relaxed and revealed the rest of her features. "Oh. I thought you were a knight." She softly managed. Her lips loosened in a small smile.

Laxus, still leaning over his horse's neck, froze. He blinked. He then sat up in the saddle, only to knock his head on the wooden support beam directly above him. With eyes shut in a wince, he threw back his hood to rub his head. Upon opening them, he noticed the woman had not left, as if curiosity had kept her still in time.

He remembered her words. He looked down at himself, seeing his dingy traveling tunic. His horse wore no armor. Of course he looked an ordinary man. Blue eyes gazed at her. What sort of activities was this woman engaged in if she feared being seen? He kept his face slack. "Can I be of some assistance?" he asked, again leaning over his gelding's neck. He nudged the beast's sides with his heels and it took a few steps forwards.

She paused, letting her eyes roam over him. He could tell she was unsure.

"I may or may not be a knight, but I am chivalrous." Was he to reveal that he was, in fact, not a knight? If she was of any importance, she could recognize him in the morning. If that was the case, then why was she sneaking about?

Her large eyes turned towards the sky before settling back on Laxus. She studied him. Nothing about him screamed nobility, yet it didn't seem as though he were a commoner. Certainly she shouldn't accept. She could make it to the castle herself. Of all people to run into in the dimming hours, she was grateful it wasn't that pompous idiot from the last season's jousting competition. And this man before her was nicer to gaze upon.

"I need no assistance. Thank you." She uttered a polite turn down.

Though immediately after stating her answer, she hesitated before stepping out from under the canopy. The rainwater now soaked into the dirt, effectively turning it to mud. No matter how much of her dress she held, she would manage to soil it as she ventured.

A smile crept onto Laxus' face. He simply held out his hand, an invitation to help. She may get wet, but she would keep her obviously ornate clothing from ruin.

"I don't know you." She said, looking at his outstretched hand before meeting his eyes. The piercing blue seemed to see through her being. As if he knew her thoughts. At a closer inspection of his hand, she found it seemed rough, with faint scarring. Not at all the hands of a nobleman. "Have a good night, sir."

She took a deep breath and turned and hiked up her skirts, cringing as her shoes squished in the mud.

Laxus blinked, nudging his horse after her. He didn't bother with his hood. He called again as the horse's large strides caught up with her. "Are you that conceited to turn down a stranger's kindness?"

She quickly turned her head to him, her brows furrowing. Instead of seeing him angry, a small smile was planted on his lips. His eyes were soft. Kind. "H-how dare you speak to me like that."

His smile deepened a bit as he watched her struggle. Her shoes sank in the mud and made suction sounds as she walked. The hem of her dress dragged along behind her, effectively ruining it. While he fussed with the skirts, her hood had slid from her head. The woman had golden hair, with a single braid that ended at the middle of her torso.

He offered his hand once again. "I promise I'll be a gentleman. I can't willingly leave someone as beautiful as you here in the streets with night approaching."

She halted with a frustrated huff, letting go of her skirt to pull the hood over her hair. The man was persistent. But he was patient even though she had been curt. A shiver ran through her from the chill of the rain.

He cocked his head to the side, never taking his eyes from hers. "How can you judge me if you yourself said you don't know me?"

"Well. Well, that is different…" The beautiful blond began, though trailing off as she knew he was right.

"Is it?" He murmured playfully.

"You would take me straight to wherever I say." It was more of a demand than request. Her voice held an edge, though he could see past it to the soft hum that it was when he first heard it.

He gave a sharp nod. "Yes, milady."

Still intrigued by his blue eyes and the mystery that surrounded him, she sensed something he wasn't telling her, though her gut told her he was harmless. Her nervousness he must have sensed.

"What I'm about to say is the truth," he murmured again. "You can trust me."

She apprehensively placed her hand into his.

* * *

The abrupt sound of the cheering crowd caught Laxus' attention as one of his squires finished buckling a strap of his armor. He picked up his helmet when someone started to speak, and he let out a small huff.

"You didn't get in til late, I don't think you're telling us the whole truth." Bickslow accused. He stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. He narrowed his eyes at Laxus.

"Oi, would you shut your trap? You're supposed to be holding the horse." Gray stated, turning his attention from Laxus' armor to his other comrade.

Bickslow made a point to look at the gelding standing quietly beside him, with the thick, leather reins hanging from the bit in its mouth to pool on the dirt. His hind hoof was tilted up, signaling the beast's contentment. He looked back at his friends. "Yea, I think I got it."

"Bicks, nothing happened," Laxus let out in a growl. "We need to be concentrating on the tournament. Not what didn't happen last night."

"Aye, and need I remind you that any slip up will cost us a lot more that the winner's purse." Gray added, a disapproving glare aimed for Bickslow. He took Laxus' helmet so he could lead the horse into the open to mount. "Get yer arse over here to help."

With Bickslow's assistance, Laxus swung up and settled into the large saddle. The armor's weight made it particularly difficult for a vast range of motion, as he relied mostly on the horse beneath him for transportation. He looked down at his friend and squire, who presented him with his shield. "Where's Freed?"

"Beats me. He's probably gambling away our non-existent coin. At least with him something interesting happens." Bickslow stated casually. It earned him a glare.

Laxus tore away from Bickslow, turning the horse with his legs and the reins. He glanced in several directions as he guided his mount towards the arena entrance. "Where the devil is he? He's my introduction."

"I doubt you need him anymore, aside from the patents," Gray insisted carefully, walking beside the large horse. He searched for wandering eyes and ears as he spoke. "Everyone already knows you, Laxus. You beat Sir Dukenman two lances to one last you met."

"It's a damn shame he didn't fall off, his mount has excellent conformation." Laxus stated with a small ounce of regret. He won the match, though didn't manage to knock him off his horse. If he had, he would have had the choice between his opponent's armor and horse.

"And what would we do with another horse? We already have trouble finding enough food for the one as it is." Gray replied. He grabbed hold of the bridle's cheek piece and held the bay roan still as they waited for the match already in progress to end. "If you knock this one off, take the armor. His seems to be of particularly good quality. I would rather not have to care for another thing that shits."

Laxus rolled his eyes and stuffed his helmet onto his head. He let out a breath that echoed within the enclosed space. His eyes shot over to the other side of the lanes at the upcoming adversary. Dark grey armor covered the knight, who sat upon a grey horse. The two squires who attended him were dressed in a matching silver and red garb. One held the horse, the other the lance. The knight had already donned his helmet, so Laxus had no idea what the man looked like. All he knew was that he was the competition.

He swept his gaze across the crowds. Many people always came out rain or shine to watch the matches. A sport of Kings, though it was such for the commoners, the simple folk who were not as fortunate as others. While they stood or sat on wooden benches, the nobility sat in luxury, upon cushions of comfortable seating, complete with awnings to shade from the sun or rain.

His attention turned to the flat run before them. In the center of the muddy arena was a short wooden wall. It was several yards long. On either side was a knight upon an armored horse. The men each held a long wooden lance up in their right hands as they kicked their mounts into a sprint. When they met in the middle, each of their lances splintered as they came into contact with the other knight's armor. Pieces of wood fell to the ground in their wake, and they pulled up their horses as they neared the opposite end, where their opponent started the match.

Next to the scoreboard, a man placed a flag in each peg hole. At the moment, both men were tied two to two.

"Get ready, whoever wins this round goes to the finals." Gray murmured up to him. It pulled his attention away from the match. His stomach growled. He could already taste the roasted turkey legs. But he had to win first before any of them could eat.

He opened his mouth to answer, but snapped his lips back together with wide eyes. The girl from last night? Sitting two seats from the empty Crown Prince's chair? He did a double take, hopeful that he didn't see her. His lungs drew in a quick breath.

Her blond hair was back in another braid, though today there were two flowers -a pink and a yellow- pinned in her hair above and behind her ear. Her light colored dress was moderately revealing of her rather endowed bosom. She was stunning. Beside her sat another young lady with short blue hair, which was pulled back with a black headband. She was similarly dressed. Both had large smiles and were talking with each other before turning to see the winner of the current match leaving the arena.

A shaking brought him to the present. He heard Gray say his name and felt him shove a lance into his gloved hand. Its sudden weight nearly pulled him from the saddle. His grip tightened around the hand hold. In his surprised daze, Laxus wasn't even aware that Freed had shown up. He jogged out to the center, his green hair flowing out behind him.

"My lords, my ladies, it is my pleasure to able to announce to you today. And a very fine day it is to host a Joust!" His voice pleasantly rose and his hand was palm up in the sunlight. As a writer, he was able to conjure up creative announcing, and as a performer, he was able to use his diaphragm to project his voice across the dirt.

The applause from the crowd cut him off. He waited with a smile, though he glanced towards his partners. Bickslow steadied Laxus opposite Gray, who held the bay roan as the excitement in the atmosphere began to heighten. The blond knight swallowed and looked from Freed to the woman he had spent quite a bit of time talking to. She shot a smile towards them as Freed began again.

How did he not know? Her heritage had been practically screaming at him. The way she walked with her head held high. The way she spoke. The way she hurriedly pulled away when he had touched his lips to hers. How had he not known then?

"You see, my liege comes from a long line noble stock. His bloodline from many a courageous man. From Alderney, son of Severin, the son of Berwick II, son of Sir Berwick I, my liege inherited his steadfastness and kindness, yet resolute and unyielding presence honestly. Presenting the one and only of his generation, Sir Aldrich Claville!"

The crowd erupted as Freed bowed and then jogged back towards them. Laxus' mind snapped to when Freed shouted his name. He struggled to rein in the bay roan, who hopped on his forelegs with the loud hype. He lifted the hand that gripped the lance and readied himself as the other knight's presenter started his short speech.

"It's her," Laxus murmured. His voice was scratchy. "It's her, the woman from last night."

Bickslow turned to him, hearing his low voice. "What? Which one?" He began to look at the crowd.

"Next to the Princess…"

Both Bickslow and Gray turned to the nobility present. Laxus couldn't see their reactions, but judging by Gray's soft cursing, he fairly knew what they thought.

"Laxus, you son of a bitch…" Gray ground out through gritted teeth. He tightened his fist at his side and shook his head. "You are going to be the death of us all."

Bickslow's lips slowly turned up at the corners. "But I thought you said nothing happened."

"Nothing did, dammit!" Laxus hissed at the men on either side of him. "But it could have. If things were different."

Gray saw that the flag man was hurrying to the middle. The large flag in his hand waved in the breeze. As soon as the flag was lifted from his stance in the middle of the ground, the knights would have to charge down the row with lances at the ready. "But things are not different. Now's not the time for galavanting around. And with a lady in waiting at best, considering where she's seated. Your excessive interests could get you killed."

"I only just now found out, Gray." Laxus replied, sounding slightly annoyed. He gathered the reins as the flag was raised into the air. He kicked the bay roan's sides with his legs. Gray let go of the bridle with a push and Bickslow slapped the gelding's hindquarters just before the horse sprang forward into a sprint.

At the same time, the grey armored knight urged his grey stallion onward. The horses swiftly carried them down the narrow course on either side of the middle wooden barrier. Laxus held up the heavy lance, taking the seconds before the horses met parallel. His opponent aimed his own lance, where, only Laxus could guess.

Three. Two. One. Laxus concentrated on keeping his sights on the knight's helmet, tightening his grip, and then the tips of the lances met their marks.

The thundering of hoofbeats and the mighty splintering of wood cracked into the silence. Slivers and larger pieces of wood burst into the air and fell to the ground in the horses' wake.

Laxus grunted as the lance hit hard on his left, striking the shoulder shield. His upper left side stung, and he forced himself to keep hold of the reins. Tossing the remaining portion of the broken lance to the ground, he turned the bay roan.

Gray and Bickslow were running for him. Gray caught up to him first. "You ok!?" He cried breathlessly.

"He hits high, and like a hammer." Laxus replied, he winced though he knew no one could see it with his helmet on.

Bickslow picked up the lance and turned to them. "You got him good, right in the chest."

"Fuck, that wasn't where I was aiming…" Laxus growled. He reached up with his right hand and raised the visor so he could spit. He risked a glance towards the Court. The blond woman was turned with the bluenette to watch the other knight. Their expressions were a bit grim.

"At least you hit him square. It'll be one to one, tied until either one of you breaks it or falls off." Gray glanced over his shoulder as they set up for another round. Bickslow rushed off to ready another lance.

As Laxus took his stance facing the direction he had just come, he waited for another lance and studied his opponent. The knight had his visor up, though no one could really see his features, least of all Laxus. His squires rushed around him and the horse. The caparison colors of red and silver was draped over the horse, hiding most of it from onlookers. The front of the Knight's armor was dulled from where he had hit him. When he accepted another lance, Laxus knew the man wasn't going to give up. Even if he was hurt.

"Bicks," he cried, "Where's my lance!" He shot a look towards the Court again.

Up in the stands, the blond turned from the grey knight to the woman beside her. There was worry etched into the bluenette's face. "I'm sure he's alright. He's done this plenty of times before." She murmured.

"Yea…" She replied before biting her lip. Her hazel eyes shifted to the other knight. "But he's never waited this long to set up after a round, Lucy. What if something's wrong? His father would be so furious!"

"He willingly endangers himself, you can't keep him from training for this." Lucy followed the woman's gaze, looking directly at the knight on the bay roan. "He'd withdrawal if anything was serious." Her eyes linger for a moment as she really let herself look. There was something familiar about the horse. She had never seen the squires who rushed around, or the knight, though the horse...

Laxus took a breath when he locked eyes with her. He couldn't lose. Not with her watching. Whether she recognized him or not, he had to win. He had to move on to the finals. He felt a hand grip his arm and a lance's handle was set against his palm. Again, the Knight Marshal stood in the center with the starting flag and whipped it from the middle to signal them.

Both Knights urged their mounts into a sprint. Laxus narrowed his eyes to focus on the knight's helmet. As he felt his lance hit its mark, there was a jolt square in his chest. The air escaped his lungs and he gasped for a breath to fill it. He hunched forward, doing his best to stay in the saddle as the gelding came to a bumpy stop.

The grey knight had taken the lance in the helmet, and the force had knocked him back in the saddle. His feet clamped around the grey beast, but he let go of the reins and let his body fly back. He struggled to stay on, and it was apparent to all he had been hurt with the impact. The visor had been dented, and there was a single trail of red from the open space where his face would have been.

The crowd erupted in mixed shouts for the knights. They stamped their feet and raised their arms in the air. From their seats, the two women along with the rest from under the canopy reacted. Lucy gasped, as well as the bluenette beside her. Tears from in her eyes as she looked on, gripping the chair's arm with white knuckles.

"Is he ok? I hate when he rides…"

Lucy took hold of her hand and squeezed. It was rather a bloody sport and it was known on some occasions that knights were killed after vicious blows to the head, chest, or from falling off their horses. Though she didn't want to remind her friend. Her brown eyes shot to the knight who'd been hit in the chest.

He too was apparently having difficulty. What was it about trying to hurt another person that was so appealing to the male sex?

Gray met Laxus as he was leaned over the bay roan's neck. "Laxus!"

There was a gasp. "I'm… ok… the wind…"

"Knocked outta ya, I got it. You'll be just fine." Gray patted his leg and turned to the horse to inspect it for any potential injuries while Bickslow retrieved another lance. Gray led the horse by the reins to the starting point again. And it was then that they were met with a frantic Freed.

Surprise was clear, his eyes wide and he was out of breath from his run to meet them. He nearly bumped into Bickslow as he approached. "My liege!"

"Whoa, what's happened?" Gray asked, trying to calm the gelding down.

"You can't run against him!"

Laxus turned to him, finally taking a much needed breath. "What?"

"You can't run! It's the Prince!" Freed rushed in a shushed manner. He had been doing some research into the different Knights entered into the tournament. Originally requested by Laxus to find some insight on how the other Knights rode against one another, Freed had stumbled upon information he was sure he wasn't supposed to have found.

Without waiting for either one of them to question him, he quickly spoke to them in hushed tones. "He's the Black Prince, his father is the King. He disguised himself to ride. He's not able to compete as he's the next in line for the Crown, and he wouldn't have been able to compete if someone found out who he was through the ruse, as it's treason to knowingly endanger royalty. You have to withdraw at a tie, Laxus."

"How do you know this?" Gray asked harshly. He shot a look up to Laxus and then to the other men in the arena.

"I'm a writer, I simply asked the tournament records keeper to see the patents for you, as I wrote them, and he handed me all of the patents for every single competitor. I went through them all to better understand what we're up against. I know a false patent when I see it."

Laxus slowly straightened in the saddle, still drawing deep breaths. So the Prince was doing the same thing as he was, only the opposite. His eyes found his opposition once again. The man was still hunched over and one of his squires was working on his face beneath the upturned visor. He shook his head and slammed the visor shut after spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"I'll ride if he does."

Freed expression changed into fear for his liege. Gray too stepped in with his concern. It would be disastrous if he were to ride and more injuries are acquired. "Laxus. He's the next in line for the throne. Withdraw, now."

Laxus shook his head once. "No. If he rides, I'll ride. If he withdraws, then I will too."

As he spoke, the squires backed away from the grey knight. The crowd cheered while the knight prepared to run. Laxus grabbed the fresh lance from Bickslow's grasp. But as he gazed at his rival, he noticed the man's lance was held in an upright position, merely carrying it, not poised to fight.

The bluenette sighed a relief, relaxing against Lucy as she watched the grey knight humbly advance towards the center. "Oh, he's taking himself from the match! Smartest thing he's done all day, that man."

Lucy nodded slowly in acknowledgment as she watched the pair of them ride at a trot to meet in the center, with their lances upright. She was curious. She understood the grey knight's reasoning to withdraw, knowing his real identity. What she didn't understand was the other. Following the bay roan to the middle of the arena, she considered the integrity of the man beneath the helmet.

He could have ridden against him anyways, demanding to win through nonreciprocal collision. Instead though, he honored his opponent's wishes. Neither of them would take the win, but both would move on to the finals. A small smile moved her lips as she watched their interaction.

The grey knight halted at the center, and Laxus did the same. A hand reached up to the broken visor and pulled it up. Laxus immediately noticed the cut bloody lip as well as the face beneath. He nodded towards him.

"Do you know who I am?" The man gruffly asked. There was a bit of pain in the words. Whether it was physical pain or the pain of admitting defeat, Laxus could only take a guess.

Laxus nodded and raised his own visor. "Yes, Prince Gajeel."

The man smiled and took off his helmet. There was a gasp throughout the crowd at the reveal of the knight's identity. Long black hair was tied back at the man's neck. Red eyes looked directly at him. "Yet you still chose to compete against me?"

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise and she turned to her friend. "He took his helmet off. Levy, how much trouble will he be in for running in all these matches? He essentially goaded all of these men into potentially killing him."

The bluenette shook her head. Her lips twitched into a smile, knowing for certain that Gajeel's competition days were now over. Everyone would know his real identity now and there was no going back from that. "Not much, I assume, given who he is. It seems as if he wasn't seriously injured. But he will never be able to participate in these contests again. Which is fine by me."

The blond turned back to the field. Her gaze now settling on the knight facing the Prince. He took off his helmet. A blond mess fell out.

Her fingers dug into Levy's arm and her heartbeat began to quicken. "Levy…" she breathed in her name. "I know him. The other knight. He was the one who took me back to the inner gates."

"I thought he told you that he wasn't a knight." Levy stated. She looked between the Black Prince, her best friend, and the other rider in confusion.

Lucy couldn't pull her eyes away from the man. She responded to the Princess, but her attention wasn't all present. "He didn't say, he didn't look like one last night. But the horse, I knew it..."

Upon taking off his helmet, Laxus briefly answered. "I don't typically withdraw."

Gajeel squinted at him, fidgeting as he took a breath. His split lip burned as it moved. "And you did this time."

Not knowing what else to say to the Prince, he gave another nod, his blue eyes impassive. The urge to bow in respect flooded through him. He had never seen someone of his reputation in person.

"Thank you, for letting me keep my dignity intact." Gajeel said with a rough grunt. He placed his gloved fist over his chest, and Laxus did the same before they urged their horses onward into a trot.

It took Freed, Gray, and Bickslow a moment to catch up with him. The Knights Marshal unfolded a white flag and laid it over the pegs above Gajeel's shield on the scoreboard for all to see. A tournament scribe wrote down the results of the match as they called for the next competitors. With one look at Laxus' irritated expression, Gray quickly tried to remedy the situation as he tugged the horse's bridle, leading them out of the arena towards their assigned tent.

"You did the right thing. You advance to the finals and the Prince isn't in danger."

Laxus spat to the side and looked at him. Sweat poured from his face, and the wet strands of his hair stuck to his forehead. "It wasn't how I wanted to win."

"Take what you can get." Freed commented, as he applauded along with the rest of the crowd.

"How 'bout you put your girly hands to use and give me a hand with these." Bickslow gave him a glare as he tried to handle the broken lances. They could reuse the bases, which would be added to the new lance.

It took them a little more than an hour to take off man and beast's armor sets and settle the bay roan down with roughage. As Bickslow cleaned the equipment and Gray worked out their expenses, Laxus refilled his mount's water bucket. He had donned a fresh -but dingy-looking- tunic. Sweat still clung to him, though he'd live with it until he could find time to go to the river to clean up.

He emptied the pail and straightened slowly, wincing as he stretched. A throat cleared behind him. Turning, he saw Gray standing before a lady, with two guards behind her. Laxus recognized the lady. She had been sitting with the blond woman with whom he had fantasized. Her blue hair was still in the black headband, and her hazel eyes darted from his companions to him.

"I come on behalf of my handmaiden and friend of the Lady Court," She announced pleasantly. "She would ask that you attend the tournament feast here in the castle tomorrow evening. It would also please the Prince Gajeel, a thank you for the outcome of your match."

Laxus dropped the pail on a bale of straw beside him. He immediately answered, knowing Gray wouldn't know what to say, as he had never mentioned anything of the sort to him. And it wouldn't look formal if his squire stumbled over his answer to a high ranking female, the Princess.

He bowed. "Milady. Give my thanks to her and the Prince. May I ask her name?"

Levy smiled, clasping her hands together in front of her. "Of course. She told me to tell you her name is Lucy, and that she is excited to officially meet you."

With that she curtsied and turned to leave, followed closely by the royal guards. In her wake, Laxus' repeated the name.

Lucy.

It fit. The name suited the woman well. "Lucy…" He said aloud. Then his smile faded. He groaned and punched the straw bale. Freed looked up from his writing, frowning as the ink bottle rattled.

"What's the matter with you? You were just asked to dinner by your pretty lady and the country's Prince. You should be looking forward to it." Gray offered, standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

"That's an understatement if I've ever heard one…" Freed added dryly.

Laxus looked at them. "That's just it. I'm essentially granted an audience with the Prince and Princess, and her lady-in-waiting."

Gray's eyebrow rose as he watched Laxus begin to pace. Bickslow shook his head as he rubbed a piece of the armor with a cloth. "And?"

Laxus looked pleadingly at him. "I've got nothing to wear," he lifted the shoulder of his tunic with his fingers. "I can't wear these ratty tunics to a castle function."

Freed looked over to Gray with knowing eyes. Still standing unmoving, he caught the obviously stare. He saw Bickslow smiling and on the verge of laughter. Realization appeared on Gray's features. "What? No, no I cannot do what you're asking."

Laxus let out a rush of breath, his voice coming in a soft whine. "Why not!?"

Throwing a thumb over his shoulder in no particular direction, Gray scowled. "Because someone will surely see! And then I'll never live it down at the pubs whilst you dine in luxury."

"We'll draw the tent flaps so you can sew in peace without an audience." Bickslow jested, a laugh now fully slipping from his parted lips. He dipped the rag in his hand into polishing agent to apply it to the armor sitting on his lap. "You're the only one who can help him now."

"Please Gray."

Gray's scowl deepened and he muttered and rummaged through their supplies to find the sewing kit. He set it on the bale in exchange for their bag of coin. "I'll be back with material…"

* * *

He cautiously entered the great hall, instantly aware of the mellow music playing from in the corner where three men sat with their instruments. The hall was decorated with the King's colors of red and silver, the coat of arms visible from its display above the banners. Letting his eyes sweep over the full food table, Laxus' stomach loudly rumbled; he had never seen so much food in one place.

On the other side of that was a long table with chairs, he assumed for the Court. Tables were set up throughout the hall for the Knights, and the center was clear for dancing. He glanced around at all of the people who attended. Many were knights he had faced in the jousting matches or recognized from elsewhere.

A servant glided by, offering him a glass of ale. He took it and before he could state his thank you, the man rushed off towards another, offering him a beverage. There were ladies of noble birth in attendance as well, all dressed similar to Lucy and the Princess from the day prior.

Feeling out of place, Laxus took a seat near the food table, as a few others did. He straightened his fancy blue tunic that Gray had created.

Most others mingled together, laughing and talking until the Court arrived. Eventually they entered the hall. Prince Gajeel entered first, with Levy on his side. His red tunic was lined with silver and gold trim, a white sash around his shoulder, the end resting on his hip. Levy's pink dress revealed more of her figure than the one she wore at the matches. Her hand wrapped tighter around Gajeel's arm as she smiled.

Behind them were other important men and women Laxus didn't know. He watched the group of them enter the hall, then he spotted her. Lucy's long golden hair was pulled back into a fauxhawk braid, the tail curling around her shoulder. Small white flowers dotted the updo, with a large one pinned behind one of her ears. Her navy blue dress hugged her ample curves and the end trailed a bit on the stone flooring.

The sight of her took Laxus' breath from his lungs. It was all he could do to tear his eyes from her stunning form. As she made her way with the others up to the head table, Laxus noticed another set of eyes lingering on her backside.

A pang of jealousy bit at him. Those grey slits shifted from the back of her dress to Laxus. In that instant, the vibe he received from the eyes' owner told him to stay away. There was another man possibly vying for her attention and affection.

The man was dressed like a nobleman, but Laxus doubted ever seeing him on the field. He had met several in the arena but never him. The smug expression on his face told Laxus that he was full of himself, confident, most likely had always gotten his way. Making a mental note, Laxus turned his attention to the front of the room while the head table was announced.

Lucy kept her head down, only looking up with a smile when her name was mentioned. Her eyes searched the table before her, as if she were too shy to glance upwards into the male dominated guests. When she did, she noticed that Laxus was present. Her plump lips curved into a small shy grin. The sight made his heart lurch.

He noticed her pleasant expression falter when she laid her eyes on the man Laxus had been studying. Her large brown eyes averted to the table again. And once again, she seemed to be nervous, even in the company of her Princess, who was closely sitting on her left.

On instinct, Laxus narrowed his eyes and followed her line of sight. The pink haired man with the greys eyes was staring her down like a predator on its prey. A small fire ignited within his chest and smoldered, ever so slowly building.

Once introductions had finished and servants filled their plates, the hall was free to consume the feast set up in honor of the jousting tournament and its competitors. It was a few hours until the servants quickly whisked away the food. The musicians began to play more lively tunes, and the guests began to line up in the middle of the room to dance.

Laxus was fairly confident, as he had been taught to dance by his former master. Before he illegally began to compete as a knight in disguise, he had been a young squire for his liege lord, who had succumbed to his injuries from a match a few years before. The kind knight he had lived to serve for almost ten years had taught him to read and to write, to ride and dance and fight as if he himself had been knighted. The man had been a father to him.

Gray and Bickslow were older than him, Bickslow not by much, and they had almost sold everything to earn enough money to part ways to return to their homes. With nothing left to his name, Laxus had begged them both to come with him. That they could carrying on in their liege's absence. In his heart, Laxus was a nobleman. He could play the part to no fault. He knew the right words. The right actions. All he lacked was the proper person to lay the flat of a sword on his shoulders.

He only required authentication. Though he had no idea how to achieve it.

A hand on his shoulder brought him to the present. He froze as the object of his desire smiled up at him. Lucy took a step backwards as the music for a specific dance began to play. She brought her hands up in a quiet clap along with the others, still gazing at him. He realized what was happening and quickly caught up with the other dancers.

He stepped closer to her in time with the other gentleman, laying his hand against hers. "We meet again, milady." He murmured close to her ear.

"Yes," Lucy's smile widened. "Though I am only a Lady-In-Waiting. Such titles are for deserving others."

Taking an appropriate step to the side along with the music, he turned his face towards her, his mouth inches from her ear. "You are deserving of the name. Titles are only words laid upon a set of shoulders."

He backed away as did the other men on his side of the room, while she twirled around the woman beside her. Her eyes studied him for a moment, no doubt reflecting on the words he had just spoken. The two met in the middle again, their hands clasping. Before she could respond, he said, "You could be a lowly field worker or castle maid, and I would still call you my lady. You are absolutely astonishing in my eyes."

His chest puffed out ever so slightly at the blush that began to tint her cheeks. Her eyes flitted up to his. "You flatter me, my dear knight."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Flattery isn't my forte."

"Really. Then I wonder what is, if not that." She purred as he ignited her interest.

She intentionally let her hips brush his front as she turned to walk away in time with the other woman to the music. Laxus took a deep breath, his eyes dropping her to curvy bottom. The way her hips swayed, he had to remind himself that they were surrounded by other people, and that he couldn't take her into his arms and have his way with her even if they were alone.

She drove him crazy just being herself.

His eyes never left her the entire time they danced. "Would you care to find out?" He asked finally.

Placing her hand in his and coming within inches of his face, Lucy's eyes dropped to his lips from gazing into his crisp blue eyes. She found herself quite taken with the knight before her. The sight of him, the deep baritone of his voice, the way he walked, the way he looked at her… It all made her squirm in delight. It gave her impure thoughts, and she greatly wished they could be alone to continue their private conversation. "Yes."

Her answer made his stomach jolt. A smile quickly spread across his face. Brown orbs smoldered as she listened to his voice. Before she could open her mouth to speak, a voice spoke up behind her. "May I have a turn with the ravishing lady?"

Laxus saw the look of terror in Lucy's eyes. The whites of her eyes were very briefly visible. She recovered her composure and looked up at Laxus with a silent plea. She turned around and Laxus looked over her to see the pink haired knight from earlier. He still wore the same smug expression.

Lucy forced a pleasant smile to her lips, though it was far from desirable to be dancing with the man. "Certainly."

Laxus watched her leave in the arms of another man with a deep, uncomfortable pang. He felt as if his future had been ripped out of his hands. He hung back, taking a glass of something from a servant's tray as he passed him. Throwing back the liquid, he set the glass down on the table as he swallowed the drink, enjoying the slight burn as it went down.

He kept an eye on the pair, even as he danced with another lovely woman. Eventually, Lucy managed to escape the nobleman's clutches, running off to the safe zone that was her friend and Princess. After the music switched to a more lively tune, Laxus moved to stand by an open window.

Below in the courtyard, he saw several lamps lining the streets still lit. Windows in houses beyond the inner walls were twinkling with light. And still beyond those, the dark coliseum where the tournament finals would play out stood out like a ghost town.

"She's an exquisite example of a woman, is she not?"

Laxus turned his head to see the man he had taken an instant disliking to standing beside him. In his hand he held a drink as he gazed out the window.

"She is" was all Laxus could manage. His jaw was frozen in a locked state, his fists behind his back even tightened a bit.

"My name is Natsu, by the way. I thought it was appropriate to introduce myself to you as Lucy's future betrothed," he conveyed smooth and evenly.

Inside his chest, Laxus felt his heart falter as the man continued.

"She's a great prize. The Lady-In-Waiting to the Princess herself. It's a great match in my opinion."

"Does she even feel the same way about the proposal?" Laxus asked, trying to keep his disdain from his tone.

Natsu clucked his tongue and glanced at his drink before looking at him. "At this moment of time she is still processing the arrangement. I don't fault her for it, it was rather abrupt. However, I'm certain time will help her come to terms."

Laxus pursed his lips, his jaw clenching. The bastard. If he opened his mouth, something insulting would fly out. He just looked away out the window. He could see their reflections in the glass from the hundreds of candles spread throughout the room.

Natsu glanced at him and then he began to chuckle. "Oh no, no. You don't have eyes for her. You do?"

Narrowing his eyes, Laxus struggled not to sock the man in the face. The words would not come to his defense. What could he say? The pompous ass had already made his intentions with Lucy clear. What more could Laxus say? The tall blond unmistakably had her affections, yet the man standing there barely insulting him was rubbing her in Laxus' face like a stolen prize.

"I am sorry to inconvenience you, especially when you had your eye on her," Natsu went on, very clearly enjoying the fact that Laxus couldn't ignore him. He glanced over his shoulder towards Lucy. "She is one hell of a trophy though."

Laxus clamped down on the cheek that he'd been biting to keep from opening his mouth. He couldn't tell if this arrogant son of a bitch was trying to get under his skin or if he truly thought it. "You speak of her as if she weren't a human being. She's a woman to be respected, not something you only pay attention to when the fancy strikes you."

Natsu tsked. "And what do you know about love, boy? All she will be is a mother to my offspring. She'll be good for heeding my desire and bearing my sons."

The statements made Laxus' blood boil. He barely contained himself. "It seems to me it is you, not I, who knows very little of love." With that, he turned to leave before he said any more. The last thing he needed was to dig himself a deeper hole with the man.

Natsu chuckled and sipped at his drink, still looking out the window before turning to find someone else to talk to. He glanced behind him, seeing Laxus leave the hall, smirking smugly as he watched the taller knight's departure.

From the head table, Lucy saw their conversation, and worry had crept its way into her mind. She excused herself and discreetly headed after Laxus, trying her best to keep herself hidden from Natsu's view. Levy's concerned gaze shifted from her fleeing friend to her husband-to-be.

Gajeel met her eyes, but slightly shook his head. He watched his fiance gaze after her friend, knowing there wasn't much to be done. Though maybe… maybe he could look into this Aldrich. Maybe there was a way to help them both.

Lucy slipped through the hall's double doorway and looked for which way Laxus had gone. She saw him pace before an open window several yards away. He stopped and leaned on the sill, looking out in frustration.

"Aldrich," she called out. She strode hesitantly towards him, halting a few feet from him. "A-are you alright? He said something to you, didn't he?"

Laxus breathed out his nose, irritation rubbing him that she only knew the given name he'd chosen for his ruse. "You're betrothed to him."

"It's not set in stone. He says I am to be his bride, though there is still much to finalize. He counts the chicks before they even hatch."

"Do you love him?" He knew the answer, but he had to ask.

Lucy spat. "No, the man is vile. I would not live a second in bliss with him."

"I can't let you marry him." Laxus said, the words tumbling from his mouth.

Lucy's mouth dropped open. Her cheeks tinted a bit. "Well, w-what could be done?"

He straightened. He wanted to step in and say that he would marry her, but with his faux patent of nobility there was no way it could be accomplished that easily. The only thing he could do was win the tournament and perhaps buy his way into a real patent as a knight. It would cost him dearly if that was the only route available to him. The only other way was to be knighted personally by one of the royal family. Doubt loomed over him.

And then he turned to her. The look of trust plain there on her face. He remembered the expression she had worn when Natsu stepped in. To visualize her with a man she feared pained him. How could he not fight for her?

In one fluid movement, he closed the distance between them, reaching for her and enclosing his arm around her waist. He enveloped her mouth with his lips, taking her by surprise. She had stiffened with the initial contact, but relaxed as he kissed her.

His free hand cupped her face and the arm around her brought her closer, pressing her to his chest. When his tongue traced her bottom lip, she opened her mouth wider to let him in. A brief, soft moan entered his mouth, exciting him further. He gently pushed her backside towards the stone wall beside them.

She kissed him with as much ferocity as he held back, both melting into each other as their passion unfolded in the quiet corridor. He broke off the kiss for a breath, and she looked at him with amused eyes.

"I am potentially promised to another, yet here I am, sharing more than just words with you." She breathlessly whispered as she swallowed.

He let out a soft growl, his grip tightening on her hip, his face mere centimeters from hers. "Let me be your knight."

She smiled, glancing from his lips to his eyes. "You already are in my heart, Sir Aldrich." She touched his chest, her fingers gripping the blue material there. "I feel like I've known you before, in another lifetime."

"This isn't the first time we've met, you remember." He stated with a quiet chuckle.

She understood. Her mind whipped her back to the evening she had first met him. He had given her a ride through the muddy streets, and dropped her off at the inner gates of the castle. They had briefly spoken to each other then. Now… now they indeed exchanged more than just words.

"Win the tournament. For me." She wished then, touching her mouth to his again.

It greatly pleased him to hear the words uttered from her plump lips. He fought the smile that threatened to exposed his inner feelings. "Of course. For you, I would do anything."

She took the transparent scarf around her neck and unwound it, shaking it free, and placed it in his hand. There were no further words exchanged, as he knew exactly what she meant. He would wear the token of her appreciation and favor for his matches tomorrow. He brought it to his lips. It smelled of her, exactly the scent he took in when he pressed close to her.

Kissing her one last time, he reluctantly pulled back and let her leave, watching her walk away to rejoin the festivities with a sigh. What the hell had he gotten himself into?

* * *

"Your Highness, the documents you requested." The servant supplied, holding out the scrolls.

Gajeel waved a hand, signalling they be placed on his desk as he turned to dismiss the man. "Thank you. Will you please open the curtains? That will be all."

The sun immediately brightened the room as his servant threw them to the side, letting the sunlight brighten the entire room. Gajeel bent to the first scroll, unrolling it. He began the long process of researching the line of Claville. It was an unfamiliar name to him. He hadn't known anyone by it until this mysterious Aldrich showed up.

After some time of not finding what he had been searching for, Gajeel set the scroll aside and grabbed another from the pile. His fingers spread the parchment on the desk as he sifted through the text.

Minutes turned to hours, and Gajeel could find no trace of the name in any of the records. He had the patents of nobility of the tournament's competitors brought forth. Surely something within that document could shed light on the blond man's heritage.

He sifted through the collection of patents and pulled aside Aldrich's. He studied the coat of arms; a blue pointed shield with green and gold wolf below the gold crest, complete with a gold horse supporter on one side and a gold lion supporter on the other. It struck him odd however, to see a wolf on a family's coat of arms. A three point label was printed on it, signifying that Aldrich was the firstborn of his father.

And then the pieces started to fit together for Gajeel. The realization began to dawn on him. This blond knight, he was doing the same thing Gajeel himself had done. Admiration as well as concern mingled together in Gajeel's chest. He frowned as he stared at what he now deemed as a faux coat of arms.

The desperation the man must have felt to go to lengths such as creating from scratch a patent of nobility. It had indeed have cost a fortune. What possessed 'Aldric' to disguise himself? There had to be a reason for his deception.

On one hand, Gajeel knew it was illegal. The man should be arrested and tried for impersonating a Knight, as well as the "squires" who supported Aldrich's charade. If the ruse wasn't eradicated, many people could end up hurt in some ways as a result of the deceit. Lucy included, he remembered. She seemed a great deal interested in the lad.

And then again, Gajeel had done it. He had created a false identity in order to compete. Though he was the Crown Prince and such actions could be easily ignored, the crime against the knight called Aldrich unfortunately could not. What else was there to do? Could Gajeel be the only one outside Aldrich's trusted circle to know?

His frown deepened before he drained the rest of the wine at his side.

The match between himself and Aldrich had been one many would remember. It was the day their Prince had withdrawn from the competition. And no doubt would they remember the man who agreed to withdraw and advance to the finals at a tie, the only man to do it that day. He couldn't just walk up to him the public and demand that he be honest and reveal himself to be a fraud. The people had grown to love the blond knight; he was the tournament favorite.

But again, why would he be deceitful? There must have been a dire reason for Aldrich to do what he had done.

No… no, it wouldn't do.

Gajeel took a breath and sat back in his seat. He threw his head back to stare up at the ceiling. There was only one fair thing that he could do to avoid a terrible outcome. And he'd do it with pride.

A smile slowly spread on his lips as he stared at the blue shield.

* * *

Bickslow skidded to a halt outside their tent. He held his side from the run, huffing for a breath of air. Dust clouded around Laxus as he stretched on grass. Sitting up, he waved his hand around his face. "Where are they?"

"Just finished… with Sir Glanes and Ranister." Bickslow breathlessly replied. He accepted Freed's water container and took a sip after relaying the message.

"That means we're just six matches behind," Gray added, and handed Laxus the padding that he wore under the armor, who began to slip it around his body like a jacket. "Time to suit up."

Bickslow nodded. "And I read the line up at the registry. You're up against Natsu."

That statement caused Laxus to hiss as he tied the front laces next to his chest. "Yes…"

How much he was looking forward to knocking that pompous prick off his mount surprised him. When he envisioned the man tumbling backwards off his horse's hindquarters and landing in the dirt, it made his mouth turn up in a devilish grin. Laxus' thoughts quickly turned to Lucy, and what he'd do once he won.

Once he stood up, Gray carried the smallest armor pieces and began to help him strap into them. There was a loud commotion outside the tent entrance, something that was an uncommon occurrence. Laxus peered outside to see pink hair and a fist fly.

"Whoa, what the hell!" Laxus shouted, barely ducking in time to miss the strike. He bounded clear of the man and looked hard at him.

Natsu's face was reddened. Not a piece of armor was strapped to him, not even the padded coat. He still wore his brown tunic, as if he weren't about to joust in the next few hours. He glared at Laxus. "Aldrich, you son of a bitch."

"What's going on? I didn't do anything to you." Laxus said carefully, noticing the people beginning to slow down in their passing to watch the interaction.

"Don't act innocent, Sir Knight," Natsu spat. "I went by to see my Betrothed, and she had already given her favor to another!"

At first, Laxus could only stare in confusion. Then he remembered that she had placed her scarf in his hands when they last spoke. His mind located it on his body; it was stuffed between his tunic and the padded coat he now wore.

"Imagine my surprise when I ask what had happened, and Lucy cannot look me in the eyes. She gave it to you. What else did she give to you of herself!?"

Laxus' brow furrowed at the mention of Lucy's virgin honor. "How dare you accuse me of stealing the honor of a woman! I told you she is a woman to be respected!"

Natsu fumed, gritting his teeth and clenching his fist as if he were about to throw another one. "You know she is spoken for, yet you choose not to heed warning!"

Gray was ready to step in, but Laxus held up his hand. Bickslow and Freed watched helplessly as people now crowded around from a distance, watching the arguing match continue. The more attention they drew, the more questions would be asked.

"Have you gone mad?" Laxus cried. He knew what Natsu was speaking about, but he didn't know how he came by that information. Unless someone saw him and Lucy together outside the hall, or Lucy had to tell him because he-

"Tell me you haven't harmed her in any way!"

Natsu could tell Laxus was trying to buy some time to figure out how to get out of the mess. He could see the wheels turning behind the widened blue eyes. He straightened and crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. "Why should I answer you? Her well-being is no concern whatsoever to you, squire."

Gray froze where he stood, and at his side Bickslow let out a quiet groan.

Laxus' eyes widened even further with the surprise. Alarm shot through his body, the icy pang freezing his muscles. How had he found out? Who told him? Who else could have possibly known? When he didn't -couldn't- answer, Natsu's smirk widened and he started slowly forward, stopping a mere feet in front of Laxus.

"I know of your charade, Sir Aldrich," he spat the fake name like it was poison. He continued loudly, playing for his audience now. "I know your patent is a fraud."

Murmurs ran through the crowd, the people turning to whisper to each other and sharing looks of disapproval. They watched as Natsu opened his mouth to continue in the beat down he was unleashing upon Laxus. Several feet behind Natsu, the mass parted and a deep, clear voice was heard over the hushed murmurs.

"As do I."

Laxus nearly fainted as Prince Gajeel appeared and planted himself squarely in the dirt, a hand resting on the hilt of the sheathed sword on his hip. His stomach bottomed out at the sight, as he knew his journey as a knight was coming swiftly to a close. He could forget the name, the honor, the glory… possibly even his life. He could kiss Lucy farewell…

Natsu's face turned smug, as if he had caught a thief red handed in front of his master. Standing aside, the pink haired knight watched as Gajeel slowly approached a trembling Laxus.

"I am well aware of the sleight of hand you have engaged in against this country's law and Crown," Gajeel began, his tone firm, matter of fact. He frowned as he spoke. "It is a crime to impersonate a nobleman, and subsequently, a knight. Do you deny the charges set against you?"

Laxus shook his head, steeling plastered on a brave face, though in his gut he felt as though he'd retch. As Gajeel advanced towards him, he straightened, standing with his shoulders back, his legs set up squarely beneath him. He bit back the nerves, taking a deep, calming breath before answering.

"No."

Gajeel held up a hand, and two guards stepped in to seize Gray, Bickslow, and Freed by their arms. Terrified, the men complied, unwilling to fight restraints and dig deeper in the pit they had all dug for themselves in the years leading up to this moment, a moment they all had hoped would never come.

Gajeel's eyebrow rose while he still looked at Laxus. "And you are aware of the consequences of your said actions?"

"Yes." Laxus simply stated. "I will accept the appropriate punishment, in any way it is deemed. But please, allow my men free, as they were forced to do as I wished. They were only acting as they were told."

Gajeel considered him and his request. He stood there, about at the same height and build as Laxus. His menacing stance was commanding, his presence something to not take lightly. He nodded. "Done. Release them. They are free to go."

Every eye was on the group as the guards took their hands from Laxus' friends. Instead, they moved to stand on either side of Laxus, ready to arrest him at their Prince's command. Natsu grinned, still standing at the edge of the crowd, enjoying every minute that the man who had vied for Lucy's hand and favor was in the spotlight for wrongdoing.

Gajeel placed his free hand on his hip. "I am in awe of your courage, Aldrich. Though that is not your true name, is it? Tell me, what is your given name?"

Facing the Crown Prince with respect and submission, he kept his arms at his side, but the look in his eyes said he was worth more than just a stable name. "Laxus."

"How is it that a common stable boy turned squire commanded the respect of these three men at your side? They have remained faithful through the thick of it, not abandoning their liege lord to the wolves. As well as honoring an enemy's wishes to surrender peaceably." Gajeel addressed loudly for all within earshot could hear.

"Those are only a few of the qualities of a born leader. It is something that many wish to have, yet only few can attain. I have viewed more leadership in this man standing before me than I have in some of my own commanders. And it is these characteristics within a man that I hold higher above any materialistic achievements a nobleman or knight could unlock. I do not declare this indifferently. Therefore..."

Gajeel drew his sword without taking his gaze from Laxus.

"Take a knee."

Immediately realizing the meaning of the last three words, Laxus' mouth parted in surprise. He wobbled down to one knee, dropping his gaze to the ground. His vision began to blur as tears formed. Struggling to steady his rapid heartbeat and ragged breath in the excitement, Laxus felt the flat of the blade on his shoulder.

"It is my honor to knight thee, in the presence of many and in the sight of God," Gajeel's deep baritone projected through the crowd. "I dub thee, Sir Laxus."

The sword touched his other shoulder. When he felt it leave, he hesitantly glanced up, his knee still planted on the ground. He watched as Gajeel returned the blade to his scabbard.

"Arise, Sir Laxus, Knight."

As he did so, his legs began to buckle. Gray and Bickslow rushed forward to keep him upright. With eyes briefly averted, Laxus could only stare at the buttons on the Prince's fancy tunic. His watery blue eyes met Gajeel's red ones with absolute gratefulness and humility.

"Tha-Thank you." He spoke barely above a whisper, until he forced his voice to comply, speaking with confidence. He stood up straight with a deep breath.

Furious with the events, Natsu's scowl deepened. He could barely contain the deep rage boiling up inside of him. The blonde had not only tried to take his woman from him, but was publicly determined a fraud by His Royal Highness, but somehow became a legal knight on top of it. There was only one way to end it, as he couldn't outright kill the bastard. "We shall settle this on the field. Mark my words, you will look up at me from the flat of your back!"

Laxus calmly turned to him. A coolness in his eyes radiated his total conviction of his ability to win. "Winner takes all."

At that, Natsu gritted his teeth, turning as he glared at him. He abruptly shoved the onlookers aside as he left the scene.

* * *

The roar inside the coliseum was deafening as Gray led the bay roan through the tunnel. Bickslow and Freed carried the lances and other equipment behind the gelding. Laxus saw the light at the end. He had held faith that the hard road to knighthood would end well, though he had never expected in his wildest dreams to become a knight at the hand of the Crown.

He was still giddy as he rode in silence. Stuffing the helmet on his head, he looked towards Gray, who had turned to stare at him as they walked on. "You're a knight now, Laxus. Show them the wolf on your Coat of Arms."

Sunlight hit them as they stepped out from within the shadows and onto the arena dirt. The bay roan's head shot up at the intensity of the crowd. Laxus proudly sat up, still in awe that they were chanting his real name.

Freed held up the shield they used as the scoreboard marker for his name, the Coat of Arms displaying his true name. He placed the shield on the board and bowed, renewing the crowd's applause. It wasn't everyday a stable boy grew up to become a knight.

Turning to the Court's canopy, Laxus saw Prince Gajeel sitting beside the Princess, overseeing the matches. Beside Levy was Lucy, all smiles and giggles. She held up her hand in a gesture to him, which he returned.

They made their way to their starting end as Natsu and his squires entered. He rode his brown steed, covered in flashy armor without stopping until they reached the far end of the arena and turned to prepare for battle.

"Don't let him get under your skin, Laxus." Gray insisted lightly. He patted the bay roan's neck.

"I haven't seen his style. What do you know of it?" Laxus asked, genuinely curious about his hotheaded opponent.

Gray made a face, puckering his lips before pursuing them. "I've only witnessed one of his matches," he turned to look up at him. "He's a hard hitter. A bit weak on the defense, though his offense is intense, and he rolls his left shoulder back as he hits with his right. If you can knock him to the ground on the first go 'round, it's game over. Otherwise…" Gray trailed off a moment. "You will need to give it all you've got, and then some."

"That's what I thought." Laxus answered with a nod. He tightened his glove. That sounded like Natsu; he had skill to match his cockiness. The concern wasn't with how he'd take Natsu's lance strikes. It was how he'd deliver his own.

Natsu's announcer began to address the arena, introducing him as was custom. He quickly ended with a bow and rushed off towards his liege. It was Freed's turn. Laxus watched at the green haired writer jumped up onto the wall in the center of the jousting lanes. He bowed to Gajeel and Levy, earning a smile and a laugh.

"Your Highnesses, the Crown Prince and Princess Levy, my lords and ladies of the Court. And everyone who have been privileged to witness history in the making!"

The roar erupted again as the people surrounding them in the stands became one giant voice. He smiled as he graciously continued, walking down the wall.

"You gather here to watch a great and costly sport- one which only the privileged may compete in- and rarely do you ever see adversity at its finest, as most competitors have never seen true hardship and toil. But I stand before you today, honored to serve one who has triumphed over it all. From his days as a lowly young squire, he has fought his way to the place where he now maintains, as a knighted nobleman, a true story of rags to riches that may be told in the days to come! He is an example to all!" Freed paused to allow further cheers from the audience members of lesser standing.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, I present to you all, the one and the only of his generation! The history maker, Sir Laxus Dreyar!"

In the din, Freed jumped down, but not before kicking the air as he did so. He bowed to the Court and turned to bow towards the rest of the thunderous multitude. From upon his horse, Laxus raised a hand in response to the colorful introduction.

The Knight Marshall moved to the wall where Freed had been standing, the starting flag in hand. He held it up, waiting for the command to pull it from the center. Bickslow shoved the heavy lance into Laxus' hand. He adjusted his grip and readied his mount. From the distance, Laxus could see Natsu do the same.

In his seat, Gajeel bent forward, placing his elbows on his knees. He bounced one of them in anticipation of the match. His red orbs took in both knights, not knowing how the event would play out. Beside him Levy shifted nervously on her cushion. It was rare for Gajeel to act so unkingly. She knew it was because of the respect he had for the newly knighted man, whom he had the pleasure of dubbing himself.

Lucy gripped the chair's arm. Her eyes never left her blonde knight. News of the recent knighting was a surprise to her. A man she thought she knew had turned out to be a fraud. She hadn't known what to think until Gajeel mentioned to Levy that he had never known someone like that, who could balance kindness and ferocity with such ease. And having never been truly taught, at that.

When Gajeel had left to confront him, Lucy had wrestled with her feelings. In the end, she couldn't deny that her heart was Laxus'. Love was something she wasn't accustomed to, yet whenever she was around him, whenever she thought of him, spoke of him, it was made apparent that he indeed held her heart. Please win, she desperately thought.

The flag was raised, quickly flapping as it came up. Natsu immediately kicked his horse's sides, earning a half rear and whinny before it started on its gallop. At the other end, Laxus shouted as Gray let go of the bridle with a push. The bay roan's ears pressed against his head, with his neck stretched out in its sprint. Large hindquarters drove the beast onward, flinging dirt up behind it.

Through the visor, Laxus could see Natsu's helmet and aimed for it. It bobbed in his view as the horses beneath the both of them hit their strides. When they reached the middle, Laxus held on as his lance hit against Natsu's right shoulder. Wood crackled and splintered as it struck metal armor.

The other knight shoved his own lance forward. Laxus felt the impact against his head, a pain unlike any other he had experienced while competing. He closed his eyes and his world went from dark to light in a matter of seconds.

The force of the blow knocked his helmet loose, and the piece of armor flew into the air to sink down to the dirt in his wake. Stunned, Laxus lost his hold on the reins and flew backwards. His foot slipped from the stirrup on his left. As the bay roan came to a bumpy halt, Laxus only saw a hot white as his senses went into overdrive.

He laid against the horse's hindquarters, half in and out of consciousness. Blood oozed from a gash on the side of his head. Gray and Bickslow bolted from their position. Bickslow grabbed the reins and held the nervous horse still as Gray rushed to his liege.

"Laxus!" he shouted, tapping his face with the flat of his hand to wake him up. "Laxus! Shit, Freed!"

Arriving out of breath, Freed took a look at Laxus and winced. "I'll fetch the doctor."

"No…"

They both turned to see Laxus struggling to sit up. He squinted as blood dripped into his eye. "I need to do this…"

He sat up and dug his foot into the lost stirrup, gathering up the reins from Bickslow's grasp as he winced. Gray gazed at him, stunned that he was able to form coherent words. "You've just been struck in the face, Laxus! You're bleeding! You'll need a doctor for sure if you continue in this match."

Lucy let out a gasp as the impact knocked his helmet into the air. Her hands flew to her open mouth with a horrified expression. Deeply grunting, Gajeel sat up, none too happy with what had happened. He frowned, glancing from Laxus to Natsu.

The pink-haired knight seemed as if he were completely unharmed as he brought his horse around to face the arena. He tossed the broken lance to one of his squires and reached for a new one. He wasn't even going to wait until Laxus was alright before he signaled his ready. The Knight Marshal stepped in, watching Laxus from his stance at the center.

"Come on, kid." Gajeel muttered, willing his blonde friend to gather his strength. He surveyed the situation, not at all pleased at how the more experienced nobleman was rushing Laxus. In his frustration, he gently took hold of Levy's hand and squeezed.

Laxus gritted his teeth. He urged the bay roan into position. Gray tried to stop him, but the horse's shoulder pushed him out of the way as it took an exaggerated step. "You can't be serious!"

"Fucking put a lance in my hand." The knight said plainly.

"You're going to ride without a helmet?!" Gray cried. He couldn't believe the words he was hearing. "Please tell me that blow didn't drive you mad!"

Turning his head to spit out the blood that had overflowed to his lips, Laxus narrowed his eyes. His head throbbed, but he wasn't going to let it stop him from running again. Too much was at stake. He wiped at his mouth with his a gloved hand, then wrapped it around the new lance's handle.

"If you run like this, you have to knock him off. Otherwise he will strike you again and you will lose. You will lose, Laxus." Gray stated firmly. His hand waved in the air between the horse and himself.

"I am aware." The blonde knight stated confidently. He was pissed. It had been either a very well aimed shot or insane luck. Bickslow held his helmet now, the visor bent and the side of it cracked. It was a terrible blow indeed to have cracked the metal there.

"Not only that, if he hits you in the head again, you will be dead. A dead knight. No more." Bickslow chimed in.

A growl escaped through Laxus' red stained lips, and he repeated his previous statement, with more force. "I am aware."

As he finally faced his opponent, a murmur in the crowd began to increase. The people quieted down long enough for a howl to start low until it rose in octaves through the mass. More voices chimed in, and the howling grew louder. The howling was directed towards Laxus, as a wolf was clear on his Coat of Arms.

Not paying any attention to it, Laxus focused solely on the knight in his line of sight. Images of the man toppling over his mount rolled through his mind. He had to do this. He had to. Everything was bright with the helmet gone, though with all the roar and distraction, his blue eyes only saw one thing.

His lips slid upwards into a smirk.

As soon as the flag disappeared from the wall, Laxus spurred his horse. The gelding jumped onwards in its haste to run, using its powerful body to propel them faster with each stride. He urged him even faster, willing the beast to increase its speed. The dark forelegs reached out and pulled them along, eating up the dirt lane.

Laxus only had a few seconds. The faster they accelerated, the faster his target would be in reach. His legs gripped the horse's sides, leaving more of his upper body to freely use on this last run. If Natsu aimed correctly and the tip of the lance struck anywhere above his shoulders, he would be a dead man.

But he wanted this. With his arm holding the lance up over the wall as he aimed, Laxus saw Natsu's horse bear him towards the center, his own lance at the ready. A few more strides and they would meet.

Laxus thrust his lance arm forward to strike, and instantly the wooden lance crashed into Natsu's chest. The extra force he put into the hit was enough to cause the knight to rock back hard in the saddle. Reins flew from his grip and as his horse continued in the gallop, Natsu's back bounced off of the hindquarters before toppling straight to the ground.

Pain shot up Laxus' right arm as the tip of his opponent's lance grazed his shoulder. He instinctively rolled his shoulder at the initial impact and protected his limb from further damage. The scrape began to bleed, though not near as bad as the gash on his head.

He glanced backwards as the deafening thunder of the coliseum shook the grounds. Laughing and then wincing at the pain it caused, he threw the broken lance. It flew towards the wall and he reined in the bay roan and loped in a large circle to help slow down.

One of Natsu's squires held his mount as the others ran for him still lying face up in the lane. Natsu kicked his foot, trying to sit up against the weight of the armor. The attendants shot glances in Laxus' direction, still shocked at their master's misfortune. He had never been knocked from his horse in all the years they had served him.

Lucy stood up with a shout as Natsu began to fall backwards out of the saddle. Beside her, Levy grabbed her arm with an open mouth. Gajeel let out a ferocious yell and slammed his fist down on the arm of the chair before standing up to applaud with everyone else.

"He won! Levy, he won!" Lucy happily cried. Her eyes watered as Laxus' squires raced to him, all smiles. Freed pointed to him, glancing at the crowd's frantic howls. Bickslow slapped Gray's ass as he passed him, earning him a short-lived scowl. A giggle escaped her as she witnessed their actions.

"And he won as a true knight, thanks to my husband-to-be. He should be very proud. You should be proud." Levy's voice rose above the din to be heard as she wrapped her arm around Gajeel's thick one, throwing Lucy a knowing glance.

"Oh, I am!" Lucy answered in her own shout, briefly closing her eyes. "My dear knight…" She whispered.

Taking his feet out of the iron stirrups, Laxus jumped down in his dismount. He threw his arms around Gray's neck, wobbling slightly. The laugh rising from his lungs and spilling over his lips could not be tamped down. He had done what he set out to do. He wiped at his mouth again and shot his eyes to the Court where Lucy stood, taking a step in her direction.

Realizing what he wanted, Lucy nodded, excitedly darting to the stairs. She rushed down the steps that led down to the arena dirt, holding up her skirts as to avoid tripping. When she glanced up again, she saw Laxus had already started his slow jog, hungrily gazing at her while he hastily took off his gloves.

Jogging the few steps in between them, Lucy held her breath. Her knight bent his head around and pushed his lips to hers. He was sticky and smelled of sweat and leather, but none of that mattered to her as he kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself closer. His possessive arms gently enveloped her, lifting her a few inches into the air and then setting her down.

He ran his hand down her blond braid and kissed her once more. Lucy saw that he had her scarf with him poking out from within his chest plate. Tugging on it, she pulled it free. "You kept it there?" She had figured he would at least tie it on one of his wrists.

Laxus' face split in a large smile and he clasped his hand around the small soft one holding the transparent fabric. "Yes, Love. Close to my heart."

Knowing what the words meant, Lucy's heart melted. Leaning to kiss him again, she placed the scarf back where it belonged. With his heart, as he was with hers.


End file.
